Hamlet Study Guide

In the opening scene of the drama, Barnardo comes to take over Francisco’s watch. When Horatio arrives, they tell him that _____.

• a. the ghost of the deceased Hamlet appeared to them again
• b. Fortinbra’s army is preparing to attack Poland
• c. Prince Hamlet seems confused and distracted
• d. there are inauspicious signs in the Zodiac
• e. none of the above

Polonius sends Reynaldo to Paris to _____.

• a. deliver information about Hamlet’s madness
• b. serve as his son’s bodyguard
• c. spy on his son
• d. all of the above

At the beginning of act III, Claudius and Gertrude question Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in order to _____.

• a. determine whether Hamlet should marry Ophelia
• b. assess Hamlet’s state of mind
• c. decide whether Hamlet will be a good emissary to send to England
• d. learn whether Hamlet plans to avenge his father’s death

When Claudius learns of the death of Polonius, his chief concern is that _____.

• a. Hamlet might be responsible
• b. Ophelia may go insane
• c. the blame might be placed on him
• d. Polonius receive full funeral honors

When Hamlet tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that the King will use them, then discard them, he compares them to _____.

• a. sponges
• b. shellfish
• c. wine casks
• d. lemmings

Claudius sends Hamlet to England in order to _____.

• a. protect him from punishment
• b. have him killed
• c. negotiate with Fortinbras
• d. a and c are true

In act IV, scene iv, Hamlet learns that Fortinbras is preparing to _____.

• a. attack Denmark and kill Claudius
• b. fight with Poland over a worthless piece of land
• c. take him to England to be killed
• d. form an alliance with Denmark

What does Hamlet think of the plans of Fortinbras?

• a. He hopes that Fortinbras succeeds in killing Claudius, so that he can avoid having to take action himself.
• b. He laments that humans fight over insignificant “straws.”
• c. He envies Fortinbras for being such a bold man of action.
• d. He does not trust Fortinbras and secretly plots to undermine his plans

The king says that the cause of Ophelia’s madness is _____.

• a. “All from her father’s death”
• b. “Those feminine hysterics to which women fall prey”
• c. “The faithlessness of the murd’rous Hamlet”
• d. “A love-sickness, which with time must needs pass”

Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet that tells him _____.

• a. Hamlet has been kidnapped by pirates
• b. to come to Hamlet’s side
• c. Hamlet has much to tell Horatio about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
• d. all of the above